Homogenization system for an LED luminaire

ABSTRACT

A remotely directable luminaire with an improved color LED homogenization system for LED luminaires employing a plurality of LED arrays where an array employs a plurality of discrete peak LED groups and dichroic mirrors maximized for transmission/reflection of around the groups of LED&#39;s discrete peaks to generate a directional homogenized color light beam with additive color mixing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/682,853 filed Apr. 9, 2015 by Pavel Jurik, et al. entitled,“Homogenization System for an LED Luminaire”, which is a continuation inpart of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/155,178 filed on Jan. 14, 2014,which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/752,006filed on Jan. 14, 2013, all of which are incorporated by reference as ifreproduced in their entirety.

FIELD OF DISCLOSURE

The present invention generally relates to a method for controlling thelight output from an array of LEDs when used in a light beam producingluminaire, specifically to a method relating to combining multiplecolors of LED into a single homogenized light beam.

BACKGROUND

High power LEDs are commonly used in luminaires, for example, in thearchitectural lighting industry in stores, offices, and businesses aswell as in the entertainment industry in theatres, television studios,concerts, theme parks, night clubs, and other venues. These LEDs arealso being utilized in automated lighting luminaires with automated andremotely controllable functionality. For color control it is common touse an array of LEDs of different colors. For example, a commonconfiguration is to use a mix of red, green, and blue LEDs. Thisconfiguration allows the user to create the color they desire by mixingappropriate levels of the three colors. For example, illuminating thered and green LEDs while leaving the blue extinguished will result in anoutput that appears yellow. Similarly, red and blue will result inmagenta, and blue and green will result in cyan. By judicious control ofthese three controls the user may achieve nearly any color they desire.More than three colors may also be used and it is well known to addamber, cyan, or royal blue LEDs to the red, green, and blue to enhancethe color mixing and improve the gamut of colors available.

The differently colored LEDs may be arranged in an array in theluminaire where there is physical separation between each LED. Thisseparation, coupled with differences in die size and placement for eachcolor, may affect the spread of the individual colors and results inobjectionable spill light and color fringing of the combined mixed coloroutput beam. It is common to use a lens or other optical device in frontof each LED to control the beam shape and angle of the output beam;however, these optical devices commonly have differing effect fordifferent colors and color fringing or other aberrations may be visiblein the output beam. It is also known to use dichroic reflecting filtersto combine three single colors of LED into a beam. However, thesesystems do not provide means for mixing more than three colors of LEDs.It would be advantageous to have a system which provides goodhomogenization of more than three colors of LEDs into a single outputlight beam.

There is a need for a homogenization system for an LED array basedluminaire which provides improvements in homogenization for LED systemscomprising four or more different colors of LEDs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and theadvantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which likereference numerals indicate like features and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an improved LED light homogenizer;

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a first LED array of the LED lighthomogenizer illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a second LED array of the LED lighthomogenizer illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a third LED array of the LED lighthomogenizer illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5a-5c illustrate the prior art use of transmissive/reflectivedichroic filters in both homogenizers and beam splitters;

FIGS. 6a-6c illustrate the improved use of transmissive/reflectivedichroic filters in the embodiment of the LED light homogenizerillustrated in FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 8;

FIGS. 7a-7c illustrate an alternative embodiment of the improved lighthomogenizer;

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an improved LED lighthomogenizer;

FIG. 9 illustrates a further embodiment of an improved LED lighthomogenizer;

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an automated luminaire,including an improved LED light homogenizer;

FIG. 11 illustrates the optical engine of an automated luminaireincluding the improved LED light homogenizer; and,

FIG. 12 illustrates a further embodiment of an LED light homogenizer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of an improved LED light homogenizer are illustrated in theFIGUREs, like numerals being used to refer to like and correspondingparts of the various drawings.

The present disclosure generally relates to a method for controlling thelight output from an array of LEDs when used in a light beam producingluminaire, specifically to a method relating to providing improvementsin homogenization for LED systems comprising different colors of LEDs.

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic of an embodiment of an improved LED lighthomogenizer 10. A first LED array 20 may comprise an arrangement ofLED's with discrete longer wavelength peaks such as red and amber LEDs.A second LED array 30 may comprise an arrangement of LED's with discreteshort wavelength peaks such as blue and cyan LEDs. A third LED array 40may comprise an arrangement of LED's with discrete midrange wavelengthpeaks such as yellow and green LEDs. Each array, 20, 30, and 40, mayhave the associated LEDs arranged in a layout such that the colors arewell distributed and mixed across the array. In the embodiment shown,the LED arrays 20, 30, and 40 are controlled by a controller 12,electrically connected by wire 14 to the LED arrays 20, 30, and 40.

In some embodiments, there are a limited number of discrete peak LEDs inan array. For example, in the embodiment illustrated there are twodiscrete peak types for the three arrays employed: the long wavelengthfirst LED array 20 has red and amber, the short wavelength second LEDarray 30 has blue and cyan, and the third midrange LED array 40 hasgreen and yellow. In some embodiments all of the LEDs from an array arecontrolled by the controller 12 as a unit. In other embodiments, thelights of distinct colors are controlled independent of the otherdistinct colors. For example, in the long bandwidth array, the red LEDsare controlled as a separate color than the amber LEDs.

The red and amber light 26 from first LED array 20 impinges on the rearof dichroic filter 54. Dichroic filter 54 is designed such that it willallow light in red and amber wavelengths to pass through unaffected. Inthe embodiment illustrated, dichroic filter 54 may be designed as a longpass filter generally letting through wavelengths longer than a certaincut off. In alternative embodiments, this filter may be designed to be aband pass filter that lets discrete long wavelength light through wherethe band passes match the peak wavelengths of the discrete LEDs in thelong wavelength first LED array 20. Lights of other wavelengths are notallowed to pass and are reflected out of the light beam.

The red and amber light transmitted through dichroic filter 54 fromfirst LED array 20 next impinges on the rear of dichroic filter 52.Dichroic filter 52 is also designed such that it will allow light in redand amber wavelengths to pass through unaffected. The characteristics ofalternative embodiments of dichroic filter 52 are further discussedbelow. But, with respect to the red and amber light, dichroic filter 52acts either a long pass or a band pass for the longer red and amberwavelengths. Thus, the red and amber light 26 from first LED array 20will exit in light beam 56.

The blue and cyan light 36 from second LED array 30 impinges on thefront of dichroic filter 54. As previously described, dichroic filter 54is designed as a long pass filter (or discrete long bands pass) andtherefore it will reflect light in shorter blue and cyan wavelengths.

The blue and cyan light from second LED array 30 impinges on the rear ofdichroic filter 52. As previously described, dichroic filter 52 allowspassage of long wavelengths. Dichroic filter 52 is also designed toallow passage of short wavelengths such that it will allow light in blueand cyan wavelengths to pass through unaffected. Thus the blue and cyanlight 36 from second LED array 30 will also exit in light beam 56,superimposed on any red and amber light from first LED array 20.

The green and yellow light 46 from third LED array 40 impinges on thefront of dichroic filter 52. Dichroic filter 52 is designed such that itwill reflect light in the midrange of the color spectrum, thusreflecting rather than transmitting green and yellow wavelengths. Thus,the green and yellow light 46 from third LED array 40 will also exit inlight beam 56, superimposed on any red and amber light from first LEDarray 20 and any blue and cyan light from second LED array 30.

Thus, by selective transmission and reflection by dichroic filters 52and 54, all colors of LED: red, amber, blue, cyan, green, and yellow,are homogenized and superimposed into a single light beam 56.

The example shown here utilizes six colors of LED: red, amber, blue,cyan, green, and yellow, however, the invention is not so limited andother mixes of LED colors are possible without departing from the spiritof the invention. For example, a royal blue LED could be utilizedinstead of, or as well as, the cyan LED on second LED array 30. For eachchoice of LEDs on the arrays a corresponding design change must beconsidered for the dichroic filters so that they reflect and/or transmitthe appropriate light wavelengths.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a first LED array 20 of the LEDlight homogenizer illustrated in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, a pluralityof red LEDs 22 and a plurality of amber LEDs 24 are distributed acrossfirst LED array 20. The arrangement and numbers of each of the red andamber LEDs may be chosen such as to optimize the mix and balance of thetwo colors. For example, if the amber LEDs are twice as powerful as thered LEDs, it may only be necessary to have half the number of amber asred. In that instance, the array would comprise two-thirds red LEDs 22and one-third amber LEDs 24. The first LED array 20 illustrated iscircular, however the invention is not so limited and the first LEDarray 20 may be any shape chosen from, but not limited to, circular,square, rectangular, hexagonal, or octagonal.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a second LED array 30 of the LEDlight homogenizer illustrated in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, a pluralityof blue LEDs 32 and a plurality of cyan LEDs 34 are distributed acrosssecond LED array 30. The arrangement and numbers of each of the blue andcyan LEDs may be chosen such as to optimize the mix and balance of thetwo colors. The second LED array 30 illustrated is circular, however theinvention is not so limited and the second LED array 30 may be any shapechosen from, but not limited to, circular, square, rectangular,hexagonal, or octagonal.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a third LED array 40 of the LEDlight homogenizer illustrated in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, a pluralityof green LEDs 42 and a plurality of yellow LEDs 44 are distributedacross third LED array 40. The arrangement and numbers of each of thegreen and yellow LEDs may be chosen such as to optimize the mix andbalance of the two colors. The third LED array 40 illustrated iscircular, however the invention is not so limited and third LED array 40may be any shape chosen from, but not limited to, circular, square,rectangular, hexagonal, or octagonal.

FIGS. 5a-5c illustrate the prior art use of transmissive/reflectivedichroic filters in both homogenizers and beam splitters. Sucharrangements of dichroic filters are commonly used to both combine lightand to split light for video cameras into their red, green, and bluecomponents. FIG. 5a shows the relative spectral power distributions(SPD) of the light emitted by red, green, and blue LEDs with discretewavelength peaks. It can be seen that the blue LED peaks at around 450nanometers (“nm”), the green at 550 nm, and the red at 650 nm. Theyellow dichroic filter illustrated in FIG. 5b has a filtercharacteristic such that it allows the red, 650 nm, and green, 550 nm,light to pass unimpeded, while reflecting the blue, 450 nm. Such afilter would appear yellow to the eye. Similarly, the magenta dichroicfilter illustrated in FIG. 5c has a filter characteristic such that itallows the red, 650 nm, and blue, 450 nm, light to pass unimpeded, whilereflecting the green, 550 nm. Such a filter would appear magenta to theeye. These two filters may be used in a layout similar to that shown inFIG. 1 as dichroic filters 52 and 54 so as to combine the output of red,green, and blue LEDs. However, these filters would not allow us to addin amber, cyan, and yellow LEDs.

FIGS. 6a-6c illustrate the imporved use of transmissive/reflectivedichroic filters in the embodiment of the LED light homogenizerillustrated in FIG. 1 and/or FIG 8.

FIG. 6a shows the relative spectral power distributions (SPD) of thelight emitted by an embodiment of the invention utilizing red, amber,green, yellow, blue, and cyan LEDs. It can be seen that the LEDs havediscrete wavelength peaks with blue LED peak at around 450 nm, the cyanat 475 nm, the green at 550 nm, the yellow at 575 nm, the amber at 625nm, and the red at 650 nm. The yellow/amber dichroic filter illustratedin FIG. 6b has a filter characteristic such that it allows the red 650nm, amber, 625 nm, yellow 575 nm, and green 550 nm, light to passunimpeded, while reflecting the blue 450 nm and cyan 475 nm. Such afilter would appear yellow/amber to the eye. Similarly, the pinkdichroic filter illustrated in FIG. 6c has a filter characteristic suchthat it allows the red, 650 nm, amber 625 nm, cyan 475 nm, and blue 450nm, light to pass unimpeded, while reflecting the yellow 575 nm, andgreen, 550 nm. Such a filter would appear pink to the eye. These twofilters may be used in FIG. 1 as dichroic filters 52 and 54 so as tocombine the output of red, amber, green, yellow, blue, and cyan LEDs.

FIGS. 7a-7c illustrate an alternative embodiment of the improved lighthomogenizer. FIG. 7a illustrates an alternative embodiment extended toinclude further colors of LEDs. In this embodiment a royal blue LED ofwavelength 440 nm has been added to second LED array 30. The appropriatefilter characteristics of the dichroic filters to utilize this color areshown in FIGS. 7b and 7 c.

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an improved LED lighthomogenizer 100. In the embodiment shown, dichroic filters 152 and 154have been arranged in a crossed arrangement as opposed to the serialarrangement shown in FIG. 1. This layout reduces the overall length ofthe assembly.

The embodiments illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 8, and FIG. 9 show the redand amber emitters of first LED array 20 at the rear with blue and cyanof the second LED array 30 on one side and yellow and green of the thirdLED array 40 on the other, however it should be understood that thislayout is a single example of possible arrangements of the lightemitters of the invention and that in further embodiments, the LEDemitters are arranged differently. For example, in alternativeembodiments, the green and yellow LEDs of the third LED array 40 may belocated at the rear where the red and amber LEDs of the first LED array20 are illustrated in the Figures. Of course the configuration of thedichroic filters/mirrors 52, 54 and/or 152, 154 will have to match theconfiguration of the LEDs so that the desired colors pass light beam 56in the case of the rear LED array and reflect in the direction of lightbeam 56 in the case of the side LED arrays.

FIG. 9 illustrates a further embodiment of an improved LED lighthomogenizer 200 and adds controlling optics to the system. Each LED mayhave a secondary optical system 58 which serves to collimate and directthe light beam through the dichroic filters 152 and 154. The system mayalso have focusing and homogenizing optics 60 which may focus theexiting light beam 56 to a focal point 62. Focusing and homogenizingoptics 60 may include optical elements selected from, but not restrictedto, optical diffuser, holographic diffuser, non-Gaussian diffuser,integrating rod of any cross section, integrating tunnel of any crosssection, or other optical means of homogenizing or mixing light as iswell known in the art. Focusing and homogenizing optics 60 may furtherinclude optical elements selected from, but not restricted to, a singlepositive or negative lens, or multiple lenses arranged in one or moreoptical groups. Such an optical system may have movable elements suchthat the focal length of the focusing and homogenizing optics 60 isadjustable. The focusing and homogenizing optical system 60 may alsoinclude field stops, apertures, gates, gobos, and other optical deviceswell known in the art.

The control of the filter characteristics of dichroic filters 52 and 54is critical for the invention. The filters must be carefullymanufactured such that their pass bands match the wavelengths of theLEDs utilized. The wavelength responses of the filters shown in FIG. 6are shown very simplistically. In practice the response is not nearly sosquare or abrupt. Additionally, the response is shown generically sothat it would work for both the embodiments illustrated in FIG. 1 aswell as the embodiments illustrated in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9. Thegeneralized response shows a cut-off length at around 500 nm for theyellow dichroic filter which corresponds with dichroic filter 54 inFIGS. 1 and 154 in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9. However, in other embodiments thecut-off length could be designed to be closer to 600 nm for dichroicfilter 54 in FIG. 1.

By way of the example embodiments of FIG. 1, dichroic filter 54 shouldbe designed to both: (1) maximize the reflection of light at the LEDpeaks at around 450 nm (blue) and around 475 nm (cyan); and (2) maximizethe transmission of light at LED peaks at around 625 nm (amber) andaround 650 nm (red). Dichroic filter 52 should be designed to both: (1)maximize the reflection of light at the LED peaks at around 550 nm(green) and around 575 nm (yellow); and (2) maximize the transmission oflight at LED peaks around 450 nm (blue), around 475 nm (cyan), around625 nm (amber), and around 650 nm (red).

By way of the example embodiments of FIG. 8, dichroic filter 154 shouldbe designed to both: (1) maximize the reflection of light at the LEDpeaks at around 450 nm (blue) and around 475 nm (cyan); and (2) maximizethe transmission of light at LED peaks at around 550 nm (green), around575 nm (yellow), around 625 nm (amber), and around 650 nm (red).Dichroic filter 152 should be designed to both: (1) maximize thereflection of light at the LED peaks at around 550 nm (green) and around575 nm (yellow); and (2) maximize the transmission of light at LED peaksaround 450 nm (blue), around 475 nm (cyan), around 625 nm (amber), andaround 650 nm (red).

By way of the example embodiments of FIG. 1 with the LED peaks of FIG.7, dichroic filter 54 should be designed to both: (1) maximize thereflection of light at the LED peaks at around 440 nm (royal blue),around 450 nm (blue), and around 475 nm (cyan); and (2) maximize thetransmission of light at LED peaks at around 625 nm (amber) and around650 nm (red). Dichroic filter 52 should be designed to both: (1)maximize the reflection of light at the LED peaks at around 550 nm(green) and around 575 nm (yellow); and (2) maximize the transmission oflight at LED peaks around 440 nm (royal blue), around 450 nm (blue),around 475 nm (cyan), around 625 nm (amber), and around 650 nm (red).

By way of the example embodiments of FIG. 8 with the LED peaks of FIG.7, dichroic filter 154 should be designed to both: (1) maximize thereflection of light at the LED peaks at around 440 nm (royal blue),around 450 nm (blue), and around 475 nm (cyan); and (2) maximize thetransmission of light at LED peaks at around 550 nm (green), around 575nm (yellow), around 625 nm (amber), and around 650 nm (red). Dichroicfilter 152 should be designed to both: (1) maximize the reflection oflight at the LED peaks at around 550 nm (green) and around 575 nm(yellow); and (2) maximize the transmission of light at LED peaks ataround 440 nm (royal blue), around 450 nm (blue), around 475 nm (cyan),around 625 nm (amber), and around 650 nm (red).

It should be appreciated that in their preferred modes of each of theembodiments described herein, the LED arrays 20, 30, and 40 arecontrolled by a controller 12 which is connected to the arrays. Theconnection may be electrical as illustrated in FIG. 1 or may be bywireless communication means for controlling the LEDs capacity to outputlight. In a preferred embodiment, the control of the colors as definedby their peak wavelength are controlled independent of the other colorssimilarly defined and at least one of multiple arrays has multiple suchdefined colors each independently controllable.

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an automated luminaire,including an improved LED light homogenizer. Luminaires with automatedand remotely controllable functionality are well known in theentertainment and architectural lighting markets. Such products arecommonly used in theatres, television studios, concerts, theme parks,nightclubs and other venues. A typical product will provide control overthe pan and tilt functions of the luminaire allowing the operator toremotely control the direction the luminaire is pointing and thus theposition of the light beam on the stage or other space in which it isoperational. Typically this position control is done via control of theluminaire's position in two orthogonal rotational axes commonly referredto as pan and tilt. Many products provide control over other parameterssuch as the intensity, color, focus, beam size, beam shape and beampattern. The beam pattern is often provided by a stencil or slide calleda gobo which may be a steel, aluminum, or etched glass pattern. Theproducts manufactured by Robe Show Lighting such as the ColorSpot 700Eare typical of the art. Automated luminaire 300 may comprise top box306, yoke 304, and head 302. In this case, the head 302 contains anembodiment of the LED light homogenizer as the light source of the lightengine (not shown), but further shown and described below, as well asprior art optical devices such as gobos, shutters, iris, prisms, frost,animation wheel, and other optical devices as is well known in the art.In alternative embodiments, the majority of the optical engine isstationary and the panning and/or tilting positioning of the light beamis accomplished by a gimbaled mirror redirecting the light beamproximate to output end of the light engine. Such embodiment is notshown, but is well known in the art.

FIG. 11 illustrates the optical engine 320 of an automated luminaire 300shown in FIG. 10 including the improved LED light homogenizer. Lightsource 400 is an embodiment of the improved light homogenizer.Homogenized light exits light source 400 through source exit optic 370.In the optical engine 320, the light beam then passes through a rotatinggobo wheel 322, a stationary gobo wheel 324, an animation wheel 326, alens system 332, a selectable rotating prism system 328, and aselectable frost system 330, before exiting through final output lens334. It should be understood that the layout, number, and description ofoptical devices shown in FIG. 11 is illustrative and that theapplication of the invention is not so specifically constrained. Inpractice, any number, layout, and type of optical devices may be used inautomated luminaire 300 as is well known in the art.

FIG. 12 illustrates a further embodiment of an LED light homogenizer,which may be as described in FIG. 9 and used in automated luminaire 300,shown in FIG. 10. Light source 400 comprises an embodiment of theimproved light homogenizer along with cooling system(s) 472 and 474.Homogenized light exits light source 400 through exit optic 470.

While the disclosure has been described with respect to a limited numberof embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of thisdisclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments may be devised whichdo not depart from the scope of the disclosure as disclosed herein. Thedisclosure has been described in detail, it should be understood thatvarious changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made heretowithout departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A luminaire comprising: a head; a positioningmechanism, coupled to the head and configured to rotate the head in atleast one axis; and a light source, coupled to the head and configuredto emit a beam of light, wherein the light source comprises: a firstarray of light emitting diodes (LEDs), the first array comprising afirst plurality of sets of LEDs, each set of the first plurality of setsof LEDs having a different associated peak wavelength; a second array ofLEDs, the second array comprising a second plurality of sets of LEDs,each set of the second plurality of sets of LEDs having a differentassociated peak wavelength; and a dichroic filter configured to combinelight from the first array of LEDs with light from the second array ofLEDs to produce the emitted beam of light, wherein filtercharacteristics of the dichroic filter are selected to maximizetransmission of the light from the first plurality of sets of LEDs andto maximize reflection of the light from the second plurality of sets ofLEDs.
 2. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the dichroic filter is afirst dichroic filter and the light source further comprises: a thirdarray of light emitting diodes (LEDs), the third array comprising athird plurality of sets of LEDs, each set of the third plurality of setsof LEDs having an associated peak wavelength; and a second dichroicfilter configured to combine light from the first dichroic filter withlight from the third array of LEDs to produce the emitted beam of light,wherein filter characteristics of the second dichroic filter areselected to maximize transmission of the light from the first and secondpluralities of sets of LEDs and to maximize reflection of the light fromthe third plurality of sets of LEDs.
 3. The luminaire of claim 2,wherein the first plurality of sets of LEDs comprises first and secondsets of LEDs and the LEDs of the first set of LEDs are physicallyinterspersed with the LEDs of the second set of LEDs.
 4. The luminaireof claim 2, further comprising a controller electronically coupled tothe first, second, and third pluralities of sets of LEDs and configuredto individually control a brightness of at least one set of LEDs.
 5. Theluminaire of claim 2, further comprising first, second, and thirdcollimating optical systems each optically coupled with an associatedone of the first, second, and third pluralities of sets of LEDs, whereineach collimating optical system is configured to collimate the lightfrom the LEDs of its associated plurality of sets of LEDs.
 6. Theluminaire of claim 2, wherein the at least one axis is a first axis andthe positioning mechanism is further configured to rotate the head in asecond axis, wherein the second axis is orthogonal to the first axis. 7.The luminaire of claim 2, further comprising a focusing optical systemoptically coupled to the light source, wherein the focusing opticalsystem is configured to focus to a focal point the light beam emitted bythe light source.
 8. The luminaire of claim 7, wherein the focusingoptical system is further configured to homogenize the light beamemitted by the light source.
 9. The luminaire of claim 7, wherein thefocusing optical system comprises moveable elements configured to adjusta focal length of the focusing optical system.
 10. The luminaire ofclaim 7, wherein the luminaire further comprises an optical devicesystem optically coupled to the light source, the optical device systemcomprising one or more of a field stop, an aperture, a gate, a rotatinggobo wheel, a stationary gobo wheel, an animation wheel, a lens system,a selectable rotating prism system, and a selectable frost system.
 11. Aluminaire comprising: a head; a positioning mechanism, coupled to thehead and configured to rotate the head in at least one axis; and a lightsource, coupled to the head and configured to emit a beam of light,wherein the light source comprises: a first array of light emittingdiodes (LEDs), the first array comprising a first plurality of sets ofLEDs, each set of the first plurality of sets of LEDs producing light ofa differing color; a second array of LEDs, the second array comprising asecond plurality of sets of LEDs, each set of the second plurality ofsets of LEDs producing light of a differing color; a third array oflight emitting diodes (LEDs), the third array comprising a thirdplurality of sets of LEDs, each set of the third plurality of sets ofLEDs producing light of a differing color; a first dichroic filter,configured to combine light from the first array of LEDs with light fromthe second array of LEDs, wherein filter characteristics of the dichroicfilter are selected to maximize transmission of the light from the firstand third pluralities of sets of LEDs and to maximize reflection of thelight from the second plurality of sets of LEDs; and a second dichroicfilter, configured to combine light from the first array of LEDs withlight from the third array of LEDs, wherein filter characteristics ofthe second dichroic filter are selected to maximize transmission of thelight from the first and second pluralities of sets of LEDs and tomaximize reflection of the light from the third plurality of sets ofLEDs, wherein the light beam emitted by the light source comprises thelight combined by the first dichroic filter and the light combined bythe second dichroic filter.
 12. The luminaire of claim 11, wherein thefirst plurality of sets of LEDs comprises first and second sets of LEDsand the LEDs of the first set of LEDs are physically interspersed withthe LEDs of the second set of LEDs.
 13. The luminaire of claim 11,further comprising a controller electronically coupled to the first,second, and third pluralities of sets of LEDs and configured toindividually control a brightness of at least one set of LEDs.
 14. Theluminaire of claim 11, further comprising first, second, and thirdcollimating optical systems each optically coupled with an associatedone of the first, second, and third pluralities of sets of LEDs, whereineach collimating optical system is configured to collimate the lightfrom the LEDs of its associated plurality of sets of LEDs.
 15. Theluminaire of claim 11, wherein the at least one axis is a first axis andthe positioning mechanism is further configured to rotate the head in asecond axis, wherein the second axis is orthogonal to the first axis.16. The luminaire of claim 11, further comprising a cooling systemthermally coupled to the light source and configured to remove heatgenerated by the light source.
 17. The luminaire of claim 11, furthercomprising a focusing optical system optically coupled to the lightsource, wherein the focusing optical system is configured to focus to afocal point the light beam emitted by the light source.
 18. Theluminaire of claim 17, wherein the focusing optical system is furtherconfigured to homogenize the light beam emitted by the light source. 19.The luminaire of claim 17, wherein the focusing optical system comprisesmoveable elements configured to adjust a focal length of the focusingoptical system.
 20. The luminaire of claim 17, wherein the luminairefurther comprises an optical device system optically coupled to thelight source, the optical device system comprising one or more of afield stop, an aperture, a gate, a rotating gobo wheel, a stationarygobo wheel, an animation wheel, a lens system, a selectable rotatingprism system, and a selectable frost system.